Originally posted by Young2Rice:
Wide open and easy pass. What happened is he wanted Gore on the roll out. It was covered and Smith failed to make the next throw. This was a theme throughout this game. What is most disconcerning is these short passes are taken in agame we are losing badly.

re watching this play

whoever is on Gore would have an angle to pick the throw from Alex if it was a straight shot. would rather see Gore take his guy left to open the lane, there was a lot of garbage in the general vicinity....look at 35:36

Of course. But there is a clear pass to their rigth towards the sideline. It would take a little bit of touch but this is routine for an NFL QB. smith made this thro against the Lions to VD for a TD with a bloody nose. Exept in this case there are a lot of defenders around. Played it safe down 17-3.

Gore's defender isn't going to follow him back to the left AWAY from the roll out back into traffic.

If Gore turned to look at Alex and broke left he might've. If Crabs had drifted a little deeper toward the corner a floater would work.

Originally posted by oldman9er:
Pretty sure that was Antoine Winfield too... pretty crafty vet there.. but there is a spot where Alex could throw it that makes it tough but at least somewhat catchable for Crabtree...

Yeah, watched it in real time just now and man, it's just a split second where he might have had him while on the run but the defender was MUCH closer than the still pic insinuated. I would have gone for Gore myself for the 1st down right away; poor block by Gore subsequently.

Williams would have been a pretty good throw... Would have been just short of a TD unless Williams made a play. If Gore makes that block, though, whole different game.

Are we talking about the Coaches Film play at 35:30? Man, watching that again, even if it was a designed sprint run right by Alex, THAT is just a tremendous play by their DE chasing Alex and an even better job of the CB playing through Gore's (er, block) to stuff that play for under the 3 yards needed. Seriously...great play! There were times I said to myself, "Are the Patriots in the stands calling all our offensive plays b/c the Viking seemed like they knew what was coming on just about every play." Great game plan and execution!

Edit: I'm changing my initial stance...starting to think that was either a designed sprint right or Alex checked out of the original pass play to run it which may have been why Crabtree looked upset and Gore didn't block more effectively. Either way, Alex is running all the way on this play IMHO. Anyone else see this?

Originally posted by Young2Rice:
Wide open and easy pass. What happened is he wanted Gore on the roll out. It was covered and Smith failed to make the next throw. This was a theme throughout this game. What is most disconcerning is these short passes are taken in agame we are losing badly.

re watching this play

whoever is on Gore would have an angle to pick the throw from Alex if it was a straight shot. would rather see Gore take his guy left to open the lane, there was a lot of garbage in the general vicinity....look at 35:36

Of course. But there is a clear pass to their rigth towards the sideline. It would take a little bit of touch but this is routine for an NFL QB. smith made this thro against the Lions to VD for a TD with a bloody nose. Exept in this case there are a lot of defenders around. Played it safe down 17-3.

Gore's defender isn't going to follow him back to the left AWAY from the roll out back into traffic.

If Gore turned to look at Alex and broke left he might've. If Crabs had drifted a little deeper toward the corner a floater would work.

If Crabs? He already was open.

No. A bullet would've gotten picked...watch the play from the different angle on the film. The guy following Crabs was close enough to get in the way of a lob...he was already breaking down on Crabs.

Originally posted by Young2Rice:
Wide open and easy pass. What happened is he wanted Gore on the roll out. It was covered and Smith failed to make the next throw. This was a theme throughout this game. What is most disconcerning is these short passes are taken in agame we are losing badly.

re watching this play

whoever is on Gore would have an angle to pick the throw from Alex if it was a straight shot. would rather see Gore take his guy left to open the lane, there was a lot of garbage in the general vicinity....look at 35:36

Of course. But there is a clear pass to their rigth towards the sideline. It would take a little bit of touch but this is routine for an NFL QB. smith made this thro against the Lions to VD for a TD with a bloody nose. Exept in this case there are a lot of defenders around. Played it safe down 17-3.

Gore's defender isn't going to follow him back to the left AWAY from the roll out back into traffic.

If Gore turned to look at Alex and broke left he might've. If Crabs had drifted a little deeper toward the corner a floater would work.

If Crabs? He already was open.

No. A bullet would've gotten picked...watch the play from the different angle on the film. The guy following Crabs was close enough to get in the way of a lob...he was already breaking down on Crabs.

I think aside from running it, the safest play here is a bullet to Williams. Which ends up in a TD.

Originally posted by Young2Rice:
Wide open and easy pass. What happened is he wanted Gore on the roll out. It was covered and Smith failed to make the next throw. This was a theme throughout this game. What is most disconcerning is these short passes are taken in agame we are losing badly.

re watching this play

whoever is on Gore would have an angle to pick the throw from Alex if it was a straight shot. would rather see Gore take his guy left to open the lane, there was a lot of garbage in the general vicinity....look at 35:36

Of course. But there is a clear pass to their rigth towards the sideline. It would take a little bit of touch but this is routine for an NFL QB. smith made this thro against the Lions to VD for a TD with a bloody nose. Exept in this case there are a lot of defenders around. Played it safe down 17-3.

Gore's defender isn't going to follow him back to the left AWAY from the roll out back into traffic.

If Gore turned to look at Alex and broke left he might've. If Crabs had drifted a little deeper toward the corner a floater would work.

If Crabs? He already was open.

No. A bullet would've gotten picked...watch the play from the different angle on the film. The guy following Crabs was close enough to get in the way of a lob...he was already breaking down on Crabs.

I think aside from running it, the safest play here is a bullet to Williams. Which ends up in a TD.

I tend to agree I just dont like the LB staring at Alex sitting there. With Gore going to that area he pretty much created underneath coverage without doing anything. If Gore looks back at Alex and breaks left or right quickly he removes the defender from the equation and its an easy pass to Williams or Crabs.

Originally posted by NCommand:
Yeah, watched it in real time just now and man, it's just a split second where he might have had him while on the run but the defender was MUCH closer than the still pic insinuated. I would have gone for Gore myself for the 1st down right away; poor block by Gore subsequently.

Also, to me...did anyone watch Alex? I think that might have been a designed sprint out! There isn't one second where Alex is running full speed.

If it were a designed sprint, then why was Kyle and Crabs out there running routes instead of.. blocking?

Originally posted by mkmasn:
Williams would have been a pretty good throw... Would have been just short of a TD unless Williams made a play. If Gore makes that block, though, whole different game.

Kylw throw would have needed to be drilled in but that is feasible. Alex clearly was looking to run it in the whole way. He expected a much better block from Gore.. and Crabs was gonna do nothing in his position to block # 33.

Wish Alex would have just tossed on to the sideline for Crabtree... oh well.. just that kinda day.

Originally posted by jreff22:
I tend to agree I just dont like the LB staring at Alex sitting there. With Gore going to that area he pretty much created underneath coverage without doing anything. If Gore looks back at Alex and breaks left or right quickly he removes the defender from the equation and its an easy pass to Williams or Crabs.

That LB is sliding to his left (right sideline). No way he changes direction fast enough to make a play.

IMHO: Alex is running a sprint run right ALL the way on this one. Given how poor Gore blocked and that he turned initially for a pass and Crabtree's aftermath reaction, I'm guessing the initial call was a pass but they didn't hear him check out of it or Alex took it upon himself to run from the snap. Either way, great play by their DE and CB making that stop short of the first down.

My biggest issue with all of this? We kicked a field goal here and didn't go for it - it gave their D a win and momentum.

IMHO: Alex is running a sprint run right ALL the way on this one. Given how poor Gore blocked and that he turned initially for a pass and Crabtree's aftermath reaction, I'm guessing the initial call was a pass but they didn't hear him check out of it or Alex took it upon himself to run from the snap. Either way, great play by their DE and CB making that stop short of the first down.

My biggest issue with all of this? We kicked a field goal here and didn't go for it - it gave their D a win and momentum.

It really was a great play by the defense. Gore had the angle and usually makes those blocks.

Originally posted by NCommand:
Are we talking about the Coaches Film play at 35:30? Man, watching that again, even if it was a designed sprint run right by Alex, THAT is just a tremendous play by their DE chasing Alex and an even better job of the CB playing through Gore's (er, block) to stuff that play for under the 3 yards needed. Seriously...great play! There were times I said to myself, "Are the Patriots in the stands calling all our offensive plays b/c the Viking seemed like they knew what was coming on just about every play." Great game plan and execution!

Edit: I'm changing my initial stance...starting to think that was either a designed sprint right or Alex checked out of the original pass play to run it which may have been why Crabtree looked upset and Gore didn't block more effectively. Either way, Alex is running all the way on this play IMHO. Anyone else see this?

Don't know if he checked out of the play but it was a designed sprint option all the way. We didn't bother to play fake. Which kinda bothers me. We ran the ball twice previously. So a run fake would at least hold the DE a little. Instead it's a out right sprint with the DE on Smith's a** the whole way.

Originally posted by jreff22:
I tend to agree I just dont like the LB staring at Alex sitting there. With Gore going to that area he pretty much created underneath coverage without doing anything. If Gore looks back at Alex and breaks left or right quickly he removes the defender from the equation and its an easy pass to Williams or Crabs.

That LB is sliding to his left (right sideline). No way he changes direction fast enough to make a play.

Chances are you are correct but I dont know who the LB is and his athletic ability...? I dont like having our guys stacked up with 3 yards between them all in the same area.

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